One common security feature for controlling access to computers and/or computer systems is a private code unique to a user that must be accepted by the computer to gain entry. Normally referred to as a password or personal identification number (“PIN”), these access codes are widely employed in a variety of applications to guard restricted functions.
Though very useful, passwords and PINs are not problem-free. The primary obstacle is the user's memory as it is not unusual for a user to have to remember a number of different passwords. Many users, for example, have a PIN for accessing a savings or checking account at either an automated teller machine (“ATM”) or point-of-sale, a password for unlocking a mobile phone and/or a password for accessing a voicemail system, one or more passwords for using a desktop computer or a handheld computer device, a separate password for opening an e-mailbox, etc.
And it is not uncommon, as security concerns of all types increase, for a workplace to install electronic cipher locks that require the entry of a code to gain admittance to a facility.
Even the lucky user who need memorize only a single password is often now required to change the password periodically to increase protection. Authorized users who access restricted operations infrequently have an even greater problem because one's memory of a password can fade if not reinforced through regular use.
To lessen the chances of forgetting it, users often select as their password a frequently used word (such as “password”), the name of a family member or favorite celebrity, or a common keystroke pattern (e.g. “qwerty”) on a keyboard. A few users, as a memory aid, resort to writing their password down on a piece of paper. Clearly security can be seriously compromised by such practices.
Some system operators, in response to threats against and attacks on their computer systems, are considering mandating the use of so-called “complex” passwords that must include upper and lower-case letters as well as numbers. Remembering one's password will only become more difficult as a result of these and other procedures. Unfortunately, a human being's memory typically does not improve with age so the problem of forgotten passwords will likely become more prevalent among an aging population of computer users.
The second problem usually associated with password use is the relatively low protection they offer. Longer passwords are harder to crack than shorter ones, but sophisticated hackers using automated schemes can try millions of different passwords in a matter of moments. Thus, a longer password does not necessarily result in perfect security. Furthermore, especially when using an ATM or a stand-alone electronic device in a public area, there is always a possibility that the user can be observed entering their password (the so-called “shoulder surfing hack”).
To address these and other problems a number of replacements for passwords have been proposed. Most notable are those arrangements based on sophisticated cryptographic techniques or challenge-response authentication schemes. Many of these approaches, however, only work if there are multiple computers involved (for example, a client and a host) that can both encode and decode passwords. Another limitation of these solutions is that they do not always relieve the user from having to memorize a complicated password and/or change their password frequently. Even solutions that do effectively eliminate long passwords remain vulnerable to code-breaking software attacks.
Some additional disclosures rely on biometric identification. Still other approaches suggest using iconic passwords that have visual images in place of words. (To input an iconic password the user must select or manipulate an image.) All of these approaches might work, though they also necessitate fundamental changes to existing computer systems. Significant economic costs associated with the extensive changes required, or other hurdles, might make these solutions impractical in some instances.
The ideal solution for strengthening passwords/PINS would be one that can be installed through software instructions and/or hard-wired circuitry in a variety of applications, including stand-alone devices and gadgets or mechanisms (stand-alone or otherwise) that lack speakers or a display. It should also be compatible with both single-user and multi-user systems. The present invention provides such a solution and is therefore conducive to widespread use. It is intended to increase the security afforded by passwords and to make them easier to use.